Shanghai, China: The 2015 Laureus World Sports Awards, the premier honours event in the international sporting calendar, is to be held in Shanghai, China. The globally televised Awards Ceremony, attended by many of the living legends of sport, will be supported by textile and wool manufacturer HengYuanXiang Group (HYX), the Host Partner for the event, and the Shanghai Municipal Government.

Proceeds from the Laureus World Sports Awards directly benefit and underpin the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which supports more than 150 community sports projects in 34 countries, including China. Since its inception, Laureus has raised over €60 million for projects which have improved the lives of millions of young people through the use of sport.

Dr Edwin Moses, Chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy, a group of 46 of the greatest living legends of sport, said: “I am delighted that the 2015 Laureus Awards will be held in Shanghai, an exhilarating and vibrant city. This is the first time the Awards have been held in China and this is an exciting new adventure for us.”

Basketball legend Yao Ming was the first ever Chinese winner of a Laureus World Sports Award when he was honoured with the Laureus Newcomer of the Year Award in 2003. He said: “I am delighted that the Awards Ceremony will be held in Shanghai. I share with Laureus the belief that sport can help to improve people’s lives, which I try to do through the Yao Ming Foundation.”

The exact date and venue for the 2015 Laureus World Sports Awards Ceremony will be announced in due course.

This will be the 16th staging of the Laureus World Sports Awards. Among the sporting greats who have previously been named as winners of Laureus Awards over the last 15 years have been Usain Bolt, Sebastian Coe, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Alex Ferguson, Lewis Hamilton, Kelly Holmes, Yao Ming, Rafael Nadal, Pelé, Steve Redgrave, Ronaldo, Michael Schumacher, Kelly Slater, Shaun White, Serena Williams, Liu Xiang and Zinedine Zidane.